Saturday, September 11

Research, Medicine and Celebration

The final full day of the 2004 NAMI Convention was marked by a focus on research, medicine and celebration. The day began with the Research Plenary, "Searching for Mental Illness Cures", featuring representatives from the National Institute of Mental Health and the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Following the plenary, attendees moved into Ask the Doctor sessions, for direct question-and-answer time with expert physicians on thirteen mental illnesses.

The afternoon brought the Annual Business Meeting, where NAMI welcomed its newest board members and awarded outstanding leadership at the grassroots. Afterwards, convention participants had the tough decision of choosing from among the 15 different workshop sessions available during this final afternoon.

In the evening, NAMI filled the Washington Hilton ballroom to capacity for the 25th Anniversary Awards Banquet. Ken Duckworth, NAMI's medical director, played Master of Ceremonies, walking attendees through a timeline of NAMI's many accomplishments over the past quarter century. NAMI heard from some of its longtime pioneers and honored those who had made outstanding contributions in improving the lives of those affected by mental illness.

The banquet and convention closed with an invitation from NAMI Texas to attend next year's convention in Austin, June 18-21, followed by a "Sea of Smiles" slideshow, featuring faces and events from this year's landmark convention.